#15 - The Book Club Experience - A Memoir

Whenever I tell my friends & colleagues about some event that I have been to or that is about to happen, that might be useful to them. Their immediate question would be how do you get to know about these events & their occurences. And my answer is mostly “INSTAGRAM”. Yes. Instagram is my new tool for finding experiences. Yeah, it's really true. This algorithm works in a way that it pushes ads & stuff I really like. For most people & people outside Bengaluru, Weekends are for Partying & it is true to some extent. But there is the other side of Bengaluru, that is, there are a heaven a lot of discussions, meetups & events happening exclusively for Arts, Literature, Travel, Mental Health & Stuffs(Collectively for the Knowledge aspect or workouts for Brain). And many of these events are absolutely free of cost, if you have time & interest, by just getting out of the bed & putting in that little effort you will be surprised & introduced to a lot of newer perspectives, collective experiences & people. I really thank from the bottom of my heart to all the people who are organising these kinds of events & the venues that are supporting them. IMHO, These kinds of community experiences & discussions keep the world so lively.

And, yeah. After knowing about these things & Insta constantly suggesting a lot of stuff to me. Now, I am in a position to pick which one to go to. So, a few months back I found a bookstore called “Atta Galatta” & there was this open mic happening on the topic of “World Peace” condemning all the war happening all over the world. This event was so eye opening. And to say about this bookstore, it's just wow. I am not a person who looks for ambience & stuff. But this place caught me. Yes, this bookstore has a really good ambience & a great vibe with a ground floor having a reading rack with a lot of books & a cafe. And in the basement there is an even good ambience, calm & soothing, fully surrounded by books which are for sale. There is an entire side of the rack dedicated to kids books & to see a lot of kids coming there & reading books made me feel really happy for them & really becoming jealous that in my childhood at my place we didn't have this much exposure. And on the 1st floor there is an auditorium. I really thank the owners of this bookstore for maintaining this place at a place like Bengaluru. This reminded me of the Chennai Bookstores & their events which were much more similar to these kinds of events would be happening & they are also very much people oriented & not for money sake only. The book shops & Libraries like Pure Cinema, Koogai Library, Discovery Book Palace, Panuval, Balu Mahendra Library, Anna Centenary Library & so on..

So, when I was scrolling on Insta I saw this meetup on books happening in “Atta Galatta” on the topic “The Books that healed You”. It was organised by “Read A Kitaab”. I wanted to go there but was hesitant because I have read only a very few books & in those books they have made me realize that I was not alone & can resonate with a few passages in some books but doesn't necessarily heal. I have this habit that whatever things I find on social media or see somewhere like a hiring post, a useful resource, or an event like this, I would share it to relevant people that might be useful to them too. But many don't use them, some would. That makes me happy that I did something that is useful for someone. This may be not scientifically correct, I strongly feel knowing it & not sharing it with someone is a huge waste. It is known to me for some reason. So I do it. 

Likewise, I thought that maybe someone else could go. So, I sent that post to a few of my friends. And one of my friends from the office, she immediately asked, “Are you going ?” I told I am doubtful. She said she wanted to go & If you are coming we'll go. Then I said I”ll think & tell. Then I thought, she is willing to go, and I don’t want her to miss her experience. Because I know how one new experience can open up to new eye opening perspectives & newer people into our lives. So, after thinking I told her let's go.

And, the day came & We were walking to catch the bus. There police were stopping people for a regular check & when we were just about to cross him, a traffic police suddenly got up & was trying to stop a vehicle, then that vehicle did not stop & he directly came & hit me in my leg. And they didnt stop, they flew. I then saw the number plate with “TN 07”, then I felt “intha Tamil kaaranga enga ponaalum ipdi than”(which means these Tamil people are like this wherever they go). Then we boarded the bus & there only I saw my leg. My toe was bleeding & I was like wow a good omen(sarcastically). Then we reached the venue around 4:30 PM. We were looking at the books down & there were already some events going on like drawing or something. So, a lady at the bookstore pointing at a table told us that there is already an event happening & told us to come back sharp at 5:00 PM. We went out & came at 5:00. And it was already full & we had no chairs. I felt another obstacle, I don't know how it will go.

Then people from another table whose session got over were moving out, so we grabbed those chairs & a few of us who were standing started to sit. But still people were coming. And then a few more chairs were taken from underground & someone we managed to sit. Then someone interrupted & told us to put 2 other tables too so that it would be a huge L shape & people could sit around. There were around 20 people I guess. Yeah, now the event has officially started. Each person was given 3 minutes of time to discuss the books that healed. The moderator was really funny, & he took the session so well & made everyone comfortable. His name is Baalu I guess. And, I didn't know 90% of the books that they told & I vaguely remember their names.(Will attach those names once they provide the names of all the books that were mentioned there).

One person told he was going through a health condition & how a book about the same health condition healed him. Then another person brought a set of 5 books & he shared what they did to him. Then a girl told us about a book which another girl was having on the table. So these kinds of coincidences & people with similar thought processes makes me wonder, we are not alone. And people like us with similar interests do exist. Then the other girl also talked about the same book but in her POV. Then a guy who was standing behind was having written notes in his hands & he had come with his wife & he told that they both liked the same book, his wife reads more but he reads little. The book’s name was unique & it was “Tuesdays with Morrie”. And few other people also talked about it. And another girl was talking about some book, & it was about Father Tongue & Mother Land. She talked about how being a kid of a Tamil Mom & Malayali Father & not knowing Malayalam & stuff. Then a lady with a foreign accent wearing a rudraksha was telling about some books related to spirituality I guess like “Living with Himalayan Masters”. 

And another person told about a book about Buddha's wife which tells about what she goes through from the day Buddha leaves his home. She told we all know Buddha but we dont know about his wife. And it made me to think how patriarchial our society is even in the spiritual & moral grounds. Then a man who looked to be above 50 talked about some books by a Bengali Writer who goes to the Himalayas. And he said his wife usually tells him that “You have 3 phases in your life. one is thinking about the Himalayas, two - preparing for the Himalayas, three - Be in the Himalayas”. Then another person talked about 3 books & one book is “Alchemist” & I immediately looked at my friend  & smiled because she also was going to talk about it. Then another guy, who was sitting in a high chair, was talking. And in between we were interrupted by the bookshop people to make way for other event members to go to the cafe. And in the meantime, a little joke was made on him like his time got over & there was a little laughter going on. Then, the wife of the guy with written notes spoke about a few books.  Then, this girl talked about a book she was holding in her hands & she started like this is the book & said the name of it, “Maybe you should talk to someone”. It was a yellow book & she had marked the book with many coloured bookmarks. She said she liked yellow colored books & she told the gist of the book, that it is from a therapist’s pov how she too goes to therapy. And I was hooked to read this book right away. Suddenly the moderator interrupted and cracked a joke like “On the lighter note, even  telephone directories are Yellow in color”.

Then few others spoke & one also again quoted “Alchemist”. And now, my friend’s turn came & she started to tell her story & her take on her situation & how that book “Alchemist” brought peace was different. Then I realised how a single book has made 3 different journeys in 3 different people in the same room. That's the wonderful thing about Arts & Literature. Then another girl told about her book experiences.

Now my turn came. I took a book out of my bag. I just stood up & introduced myself & started like this,

“There is this quote from the Tamil movie Jigarthanda 2 which goes like this, ‘YOU DON'T CHOOSE ART, ART CHOOSES YOU’ similarly ‘YOU DON'T CHOOSE BOOKS,  BOOKS CHOOSES YOU’.”

Likewise, from last year I was going through a rough phase in my life & so I told chatgpt about my thoughts & feelings, and asked it to suggest a few books and it suggested a few books & one such book is “A Letter to my Daughter” by Maya Angelou. 

So, I showed the book to everyone. And many instantly sounded like “Ohh”. And I felt really happy that people there knew Maya & resonated instantly. Then I told about a particular chapter on how it made me feel like I was not alone. I was nervous the whole time while I was speaking but still did it with fear. This is an excerpt from that chapter,

And at the end I told them, “I also recommend you guys to use ChatGPT for personal book recommendation, but AT YOUR OWN RISK”. They all laughed unanimously instantly. 

Then a lady spoke about a book & how it healed her from her mother’s loss. She started to become teary eyed while talking. And I could see many people were really listening to her & were with her & they really felt her too. 

See, This is what books can do man ! 

Then, atlast after a few people, the moderator talked about some books and this one book which was already discussed caught my eye : “Orbitals”. This was from a POV of astronauts from Space seeing Earth. This is the perspective I always wanted & I was thinking of writing a similar kind of story, but didnt know this already existed. This was like Carl Sagan’s quote “Tiny Blue dot, That's our Earth, that’s where we live in & bla bla bla..”

Then we took a group photo in the stairs & went for a tea in a hotel nearby & was talking to other people & then we went home. 

While writing this I feel, if I just took a decision not to show up, I could have missed all these books & experiences. So, I chose & they chose me too. Thank you everyone for this wonderful opportunity. Thank You people !

Peace. ☮️😇

Senthil Rajan V

PS :

Books discussed in the Meet-up of Read-a-Kitaab Bangalore Chapter held on April 27,2025, at Atta Galata, Bangalore

Topic of discussion:- Books That Healed You.

Book of Everlasting Things – Aanchal Malhotra

The Door to Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder by Julie A Fast

Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Why Bharat Matters by S Jaishankar

How to know a person by David Brooks

Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum

Longevity Guidebook: How to Slow, Stop, and Reverse Aging — and Not Die from Something Stupid by Peter H. Diamandis

Days at the Morasaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

And How Do You Feel About That by Gopakumar Aruna

The Whole-Brain Child Workbook: Practical Exercises, Worksheets and Activitis to Nurture Developing Minds by Daniel Siegel.

The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick

Queenic by Jacqueline Wilson.

Books of Amish Tripathi.

Holding on by Hannah Lalampui (I could not find this book)

The Singer and The Prince by Neha Susan (I could not find this book).

Tuesdays with Morie by Mitch Albom (discussed twice).

Advice for women, Unfinished Poem, Women in Dutch Painting by Eunice D’Souza (Though I could find the author, I could not find the books)

The Perfect Ending by Anupama Kalgudi

The Buddha’s Wife by Janet Surrey

Orbital by Samantha Harvey.

Heal Your Life by Louis Hay

Living With The Himalayan Masters by Swami Rama

The Alchemist by Paul Cohelo.

Shyam by Devdutt Patnaik

Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Anxious People by Fredrick Backman

Lone Fox Dancing by Ruskin Bond

Maybe you should talk to someone by Lori Gottileb

Fifth Mountain by Paul Cohelo

A Pslam for the wild built by Becky Chambers

Little Women by Lousia May Allott

Epictetus discourses and sacred writings by Blake Grouch

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angello

Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach

What is Life by Paul Nurse

Abundance by Ezra Klien

My Grandmother Sends her regards and apologies by Fredrik Backman

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronie Ware

Harry Potter series

Father Tongue, Motherland: The Birth of Languages in South Asia by Peggy Mohan